Table 1.

Patient characteristics.

	Number of patients (%)
	DM group (n = 37)	NS group (n = 41)	Total (n = 78)	p values for comparisons between the groups
Sex
Male	27 (73%)	29 (70.7%)	56 (71.8%)	0.705
Female	10 (27%)	12 (29.3%)	22 (28.2%)	0.376
Mean age, years	39.9	44.3	42.1	0.194
Surgical procedure
ACL repair	11 (29.8%)	16 (39%)	27 (34.6%)	0.109
Meniscectomy	9 (24.3%)	10 (24.4%)	19 (24.4%)	0.746
Synovectomy	1 (2.7%)	2 (4.9%)	3 (3.84%)	0.414
Multiple	12 (32.4%)	10 (24.4%)	22 (28.2%)	0.546
Other	4 (10.8%)	3 (7.3%)	7 (8.97%)	0.593
Surgical time, hours
<2	21 (56.8%)	24 (58.6%)	45 (58%)	0.404
2 to 3	14 (37.8%)	16 (39%)	30 (38%)	0.606
≥3	2 (5.4%)	1 (2.4%)	3 (4%)	0.414
Number lost to follow-up	7 (18.9%)	1 (2.4%)	8 (10%)	0.015

ACL, anterior cruciate ligament; DM, dexamethasone; NS, normal saline.